Most clicked story of the week: 

Two accreditors received warnings last week from the U.S. Department of Education’s top-ranking higher education official over their diversity, equity and inclusion standards — even though they have suspended those standards. Under Secretary Nicholas Kent directed the agencies to formally eliminate their DEI standards and said the department could pull recognition from them if they enforce any of the suspended requirements. 

Number of the week: $104 billion

The cumulative shortfall the Pell Grant program is facing over the next decade when adjusted for inflation, per recent figures from the Congressional Budget Office. In response, over 60 higher education and advocacy organizations are urging legislative leaders to immediately provide enough funding to the program to cover the gap. 

What else is the Education Department up to?

• The Education Department unveiled plans Thursday to gradually shift responsibility for the $1.7 trillion federal student loan portfolio to the U.S. Department of Treasury, starting with loans in default. While conservative lawmakers and groups praised the move, others quickly condemned it and contended moving those responsibilities to another agency was illegal. 

• In a setback to the Education Department, a federal judge pushed back the deadline for colleges to submit seven years' worth of detailed data on their applicants and admitted students broken down by race and sex. The judge plans to hold a hearing on Wednesday to consider a motion against the data collection from a coalition of 17 Democratic attorneys general.

• The U.S. Department of Labor began accepting applications last week from colleges, K-12 school districts, state governments and others for a TRIO grant program. The Labor Department is doing the work on the Education Department’s behalf as part of an interagency agreement announced last year. 

The latest higher ed budget woes:

• The New School is cutting another 15% of its workforce as part of an effort to shore up its budget. The layoffs come after the private New York City nonprofit moved to slash 7% of its workforce through voluntary buyouts. 
• The University of Providence, a Catholic institution in Montana, is considering cutting academic programs and employees in response to a looming $8 million budget shortfall. In December, the institution announced financial exigency, giving it more freedom to restructure and lay off tenured faculty members. 
• Oregon State University’s governing board recently approved a 6.3% tuition hike for new undergraduate students as it faces a $14 million budget deficit. The board also raised tuition for returning undergraduates and for graduate students — moves expected to bring in an additional $32.3 million for the institution.